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"Why do I have bad coughing, particularly in night time?"

Zocdoc›Answers›Why do I have bad coughing, particularly in night time?

Question

I am 34 years mother of one beautiful daughter. I have been coughing since two weeks ago after having some fried chicken from local store. I tried some home remedies, e.g. honey with ginger. It improved a bit. I also took cough syrup from the local store. I don't cough much in the day time, now at night, I cough terribly and I feel like throat and lungs are dry inside. The mucus changed from green to yellow and now white. I still continue with the cough syrup. It seems like I am getting better, but shall I just go to check with doctor?

Answer

Coughing can be an incredibly annoying problem that disrupts sleep and everyday life. It is good to hear that you are doing better, and you have asked an important question about when a cough should make you go to the doctor. In general, if a cough has a known cause (such as a cold, the flu, etc), has no other symptoms, and is getting better over a week or two, there is no rush to see a doctor. If the cough persists, or has other concerning features, such as a fever, chills, weight loss, blood tinged sputum, etc, then you should see a doctor to see if there is anything more serious going on.
In your specific case, it sounds as if you have a known cause (the chicken, perhaps getting stuck in your throat) and it is slowly getting better. Sometimes, a piece of food becoming lodged in the throat can cause local irritation. This irritation can persist for some time, making you cough and produce mucous. Coughing is often worse at night, as well, and so this is not a concerning symptom in and of itself. Adequate hydration and good hygiene will be the most important steps towards continuing to improve. Please see your doctor if you do not continue to improve, or if your cough persists.

Zocdoc Answers is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Medical professionals who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Zocdoc’s Terms of Service.

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Zocdoc Answers is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Medical professionals who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Zocdoc’s Terms of Service.